Survey Says 75% of Americans Think It’s Important to Have a Well-Maintained Yard

According to an online survey commissioned by the National Association of Landscape Professionals and conducted by Harris Poll in May 2015, Americans think it is important to have a yard, keep it looking well-maintained and live in an area with nice landscaping.

The study, conducted among 2,034 U.S. adults (ages 18+), finds that three quarters of Americans (75%) feel that it is important to spend time outside in their yards. Despite the perception that the younger generation is only focused on a high-tech lifestyle, nearly three quarters (74%) of Millennials (18-34 year olds) think spending time outside in their yards is important.

How do people feel about their yards and neighborhood landscaping?

Eighty-three percent of Americans think having a yard is important and 90% of those with a yard think it is important that it is also well-maintained. Also, those who live in the South (85%) or Midwest (87%) are more likely than those who live in the Northeast (79%) to say this is important.

Americans also want to live in an area where they can see or walk to nice landscaping (91%) and they think it is important (71%) that their neighbors have well-maintained yards.

They also agree (84%) that the quality of a home’s landscaping would affect their decision about whether or not to buy a home, and while women are more likely than men to say having their yard well-maintained is very important (50% vs. 45%), men are more likely than women to claim that they possess the knowledge and skill necessary to keep their lawn and plants healthy and looking good (75% vs. 67%, respectively).

Homeowners want help with their landscaping

A large majority of Americans (67%) agree that professional landscape help would allow them to have a nicer yard. Nine in ten (90%) prefer to live in a home surrounded by trees, grass and other living plants and almost half (47%) wish they could hire a landscape professional to help them.

“Our members dedicate their lives to helping homeowners keep their yards and outdoor spaces healthy and inviting,” said National Association of Landscape Professionals CEO, Sabeena Hickman, CAE, CMP. “The survey results show how deeply Americans value their yards and spending time outside near their homes.”